Tool for opening containers



Dec. 15, 1942. ca. F. JACKSON TOOL FOR OPENING CONTAINERS Filed May 7, 1941 Patented Dec. 15, 1942 TOOL FOR OPENING CONTAINERS George F. Jackson,- Baltimore, Md., assignor to Continental Can Company, 'Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May; 7, 1941, SerialNo. 392,393

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and use-- ful improvements in a tool for opening containers, and more particularly to improvements in a tool for removing closures from sheet metal containers.

More specifically, the invention is concerned with the provision of a tool for removing a plug type closure from a metal container. A closure of this general type is shown in the Newman Patent No. 1,266,519, dated May 14, 1918, and is often referred to as a Newman seal. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, some part of the can, usually the can end, is provided with an upstanding friction wall around an opening which is closed by a metal plug. This plug includes a disc closing portion and an upstanding wall portion engaging the inner surface of the friction wall on the container. The upstanding wall portion of the closure is turned outwardly and downwardly to engage the outer surface of the friction Wall. In removing this type of closure, it is usually necessary to bend or otherwise damage the container. However, it is often desirable to be able to use the containers repeatedly and for this purpose, it is necessary to eifect removal of the closure without damaging the friction wall around the opening in the container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tool for removing closures of the above type without damaging the container so as to permit the container to be reclosed and used over again.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the above type wherein the closure is prevented from turning during removal thereof from the container and also during subsequent removal thereof from the tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of the above type which includes a confining wall portion adapted to encircle the closure on the container and which also includes a screw for removing the closure from the container within the confining wall portion.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side sectional view showing the positioning of the tool on the container before the closure is removed.

Figure 2 is a similar sectional view showing initial puncturing and threading of the closure by the tool.

portion I I.

Figure 3 is a similar sectional view showing the position of the tool with the cover removed from the container.

Referring more in .detail to the accompanying drawing, a fragmentary portion of a container is illustrated as including an end In having an opening therethrough. The end is turned upwardly around the opening to provide an upstanding friction wall H. The plug closure includes a closing wall portion i2 extending across the opening in the container and an upstanding wall portion I 3 which is adapted to frictionally engage the inner surface of the friction wall II. The free end of the wall portion I3 is bent outwardly and downwardly, as at M, to enclose and snugly engage the outer surface of the friction wall H.

The tool includes a body block l5 having a recess it which is defined by a depending skirt The skirt portion I! is dimensioned so as to closely fit around the outer wall portion I4 of the closure member when postioned for opening the container. The body block I5 is centrally bored, as at l8; to receive a tool spindle i't-for rotating and sliding movement. Below the bore 18, the body block is provided with an enlarged bore or recess 29 in which the tool head 2i snugly fits for corresponding movement with the tool spindle.

The tool head 2! is provided at its outer end with a threador screw portion 22, The threads decrease in diameter, as at 22a, and terminate in a puncturing point 23. The opposite end of the tool spindle I9 is provided with an operating handle 24 which may be grasped and manipulated for reciprocating or rotating the spin- :dle and the tool ahead.- A cup-shaped retaining member 25 is carried by the block member [5 andis disposedaround the spindle IS. A suitable form of ball thrust bearing 26 is supported within the member 25. A collar 27 is secured to the spindle It by a set screw 28 and is adapted to engage the thrust bearing during final removal of the closure from the container. A depending pin or spike 29 is carried by the block member l5 and is secured thereto by a set screw 30. This pin extends downwardly within the recess l6 with the axis thereof disposed parallel to the axis of the tool spindle.

When it is desired to remove the closure from the container, the tool is placed on the container in the position shown in Figure 1, with the inner surface of the edge of the outer end of the skirt portion l'l closely fitting around the outer surface of the wall portion 14 on the closure. The

thrust bearing 26 and further rotation of the spindle will thread the closure member outwardly on the screw 22 to substantially the position of the closure shown in Figure 3. During this movement of the closure with respect to the screw, the spike or pin 29 will puncture the wall portion [2 of the closure member and thus prevent rotation of the closure member during removal thereof from the container.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a tool in the form of a can opener which will effect removal of a plug type friction closure without damaging the container or the friction wall thereon so that the container can be repeatedly used and reclosed. In order to discharge the removed closure from the tool, it is simply necessary to rotate the spindle in the opposite direction, or spin the block member [5, so that the closure member will be threaded oif the screw 22. During this removal of the closure member, the pin 29 will prevent rotation thereof until it reaches a position around the reduced threads 22a where it will drop off. 7

While one form of the invention has been" shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be clearly understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A tool for removing a closure member from a container comprising a tool spindle, a body,

member supporting the tool spindle for free' rotation and axial movements, said body member having a portion projecting downward therefrom and adapted to engage the container at points outside of and adjacent the closure member, said tool spindle having a screw at the lower end thereof tapered for'puncturing the closure member upon axial movement of the tool spindle, said screw being adapted to threadedly pass through the closure member upon rotation of the tool spindle, means for limiting axial downward movement of the tool spindle in the body member whereby continued rotation of the spindle will effect threaded removal of the closure from the container, and means carried by the body mem ber and disposed so as to engage and penetrate the closure member and prevent rotation thereof relative to the body member.

2. A tool for removing a closure member from a container, comprising a tool spindle, a body member carrying the tool spindle for rotating and axial movements and having a skirt portion adapted to engage the container around the closure member, said tool spindle having a screw at one end thereof for puncturing the closure member and threadedly removing the closure member from the container, and projecting means carried by the body member and disposed within said skirt portion for puncturing the closure member whereby to prevent rotation thereof during its removal from the container.

3. A tool for removing a friction plug closure from a container, comprising a tool spindle, a body member supporting the tool spindle for rotating and axial movements and having a skirt portion adapted to engage the container around the closure and defining an internal recess, said tool spindle having a screw at one end thereof for puncturing the closure member upon axial movement of the tool spindle toward the closure member and said screw being adapted to threadedly pass through the closure member upon rotation of the tool spindle, means for limiting axial movement of the tool spindle into the container whereby continued rotation of the spindle will effect threaded removal of the closure from the container, and means disposed within said recess for engaging the closure to prevent rotation thereof during its removal from the container 4. A tool for removing a friction plug closure from a container, comprising a tool spindle, a body member supporting the tool spindle for rotating and axial movements and having a skirt portion adapted to engage the container around the closure and defining an internal recess, said tool spindle having a screw at one end thereof for puncturing the closure member upon axial movement of the tool spindle toward the closure member and said screw being adapted to threadedly pass through the closure member upon rotation of the tool spindle, means for limiting axial movement of the tool spindle into the container whereby continued rotation of the spindle will effect threaded removal of the closure from the container, and a tapered projecting pin extending downwardly from the body member and adapted to puncture the closure member whereby to prevent rotation of the closure member during its removal from the con- 7 

